Chronic insomnia, one of the most common health complaints, becomes more prevalent with increasing age. Sedative-hypnotic use is disproportionately high in the elderly and is problematic. The proposed study will assess the safety and efficacy of Sleep Restriction and Sleep Hygiene recommendations in elderly chronic insomniacs. Sleep Restriction is a new behavioral treatment based on the recognition that excessive time spent in bed is one of the major factors that perpetuates insomnia. Thirty-six chronic insomniacs between 55 and 70 years of age will serve as subjects. We will assess polygraphically recorded and subjectively reported nocturnal sleep and daytime sleepiness, and evaluate daytime performance and mood. Three groups of 12 subjects each will receive either Sleep Restriction, Sleep Hygiene recommendations, or be placed on a Waiting List for the ten week study period. The Sleep Restriction subjects, following an initial curtailment of time in bed, will be prescribed increases in time in bed contingent on their report of a sleep efficiency (estimated total sleep time/time in bed X 100%) of greater than 90% over a five-day period. Instructions to decrease time in bed will also be based on the subject's estimate of sleep. Sleep Hygiene subjects will keep regular retiring and arising times, use the bed only for sleeping, and refrain from caffeine ingestion. The Wait List control group will monitor their sleep daily. Comparisons will be made within and between groups. Elderly individuals represent a substantial proportion of patients with chronic insomnia and treatment options are limited in this group. Because Sleep Restriction and Sleep Hygiene could be implemented on a large scale at minimal cost, documenting the efficacy and safety of these approaches could have an important clinical as well as social impact.